I'm not talking just pornography, but child pornography ! I can tolerate most life styles and a lot of differences, even though I may not agree with them, but I CANNOT tolerate child pornography !! While talking with a person today, who is an extensive traveler, he said that Amsterdam is the center for child pornography, in the world. He will never return there. Now I am rethinking my upcoming travel to Amsterdam. Should I?

I did not see anything like that as a tourist in Amsterdam for a week.

I thought Thailand was??

Yes, you should probably rethink your decision.

Thailand is a well-known center of child prostitution. In fact, many countries/companies run tours there for just that purpose. No doubt child pornography is common there as well.

As for Amsterdam - child pornography is criminal there - just as it is here - and having been there several times I can tell you it is not openly available - even in the Red Light District. But I'm sure there are sickies there as everywhere else - includng here.

Also - I've read that in fact Prague is the current center of production of child pornography - again illegally of course.

Are you trying to determine whether it exists in Amsterdam? Or if you will be exposed to it while you are there?

My impression is that KarBiCrBr wants to know if it's legal or even overlooked by the authorities there. It would only be in these two cases that a boycott would be in order, I would think.

Amsterdam and the Netherlands, while quite tolerant on things like marijuana, shrooms, and normal prostitution, is not at all tolerant of hard drugs nor, I would imagine, child pornography. Does it happen there? I'd say probably yes, but not any more than it happens in New York City or the like; it's certainly not a nudge, nudge, wink, wink kind of official situation.

One should, however, note that there are differences in how "child" and "pornography" are defined in the U.S. compared to Scandinavia, the Netherlands and other countries.

Material considered child pornography in the United States is not necessarily defined as child pornography by laws in Europe.

For example, the age of consent is 16 in Holland and nude pictures of a 16 year old girl would not be child pornography in Holland because the girl is not regarded as a child.

Rillifane: good point, though I'd think most people, including someone as tolerant as the OP makes him/herself out to be, would be fairly forgiving of the somewhat grey area between 16 and 18; it's the 6 year olds that most people are (rightfully, IMO) upset about.

I've been going to Amsterdam since 1968 annually for a week or so and i do go into the sex supermarkets, i.e. porn shops, as many tourists do just to see what they are like. While in the early 80s what i would call hard-core child pornography was being sold in these shops this has long ago disappeared - at least in public view. I've never heard this charge and the Dutch government certainly would not allow it - they may be tolerant on some things like pot and euthanasia but they should be in my opinion but they crack down on hard drugs and i'm sure child porn.
I'll need more proof than the second-hand report of "a person".
It's just not true - i'd bet on it. Now what do you consider child pornography? I've never seen anything in Amsterdam porno shops that i don't see in other European countries.
I hope to use some valid criteria to rethink your trip - a google search for child porn capitals should set it straight.

It is my understanding that most kiddie porn comes from Denmark but I'm not sure how true that is. I hate kiddie porn as much as anyone. But having said that, I still visited Denmark and I have no regrets. Child abuse in all forms occurs in every country. I've also been to Amsterdam and I never saw kiddie porn in either Amsterdam or Denmark. I think it's one of those things you won't find unless you're looking for it.

However, if you feel so strongly about this, then it might affect your enjoyment of Amsterdam. That being the case, I wouldn't blame you for rethinking your plan. This is a personal decision that only you can make.

Even if it's based on a false assumption? then it's said to miss one of the world's most beautiful cities because someone gave you totally misleading information. Do you own research then make an intelligent decision.

PalQ, I understand what you mean. As I stated above, I never saw kiddie porn in Amsterdam and I doubt the OP will because he/she will not be looking for it. My concern is that the OP has already formed an opinion and will not enjoy Amsterdam. I agree that the OP should do more research, and perhaps he/she will decide independently that Amsterdam is a nice place to visit.

Unfortunately child porn is in every country . Avoid any country that gives tours or advertises and if you stay in basic tourists areas you will maybe not even notice it exists, You can writ letter, and protest if you see anything.

I went to a really hardcore sex show in Amsterdam and they started off with a sort of "no judgements" talk and said very clearly that you would see things that were probably far from what you would consider "normal." They were right. However, everyone involved was definitely of age and they did not play on the child aspect at all.

Unfortunately, child porn and access to children is a motivation for some travelers, and it is available everywhere (even here in the US). I would be surprised if it were so in Amsterdam, though, because the industry is very regulated, so having an illegal operation is not particularly advantageous to the owner. Especially when Prague (where it is huge) is so close (relatively).

I would not let that keep me from my travels.

Claire

Could your traveler give you some concrete evidence, ie. newspaper article, to back up such a claim?

First you must understand the history of Amsterdam. For centuries, it was one of the major shipping /port cities. And like most port towns, it is one of the major distribution centers for products from all over the world. Unfortunately, this includes drugs and worse pornagraphy. Hence it may not be the case that child porn is manufactured there but it may be involved in the distribution aspect to the rest of Western Europe.

A quick education on the REAL laws that my Dutch relatives gave me. Although soft drugs, marijuana ect., can be bought in small amounts in certain establishments and consumed in those places or in the privacy of your own home, you can not walk down the city streets or anywhere in public smoking a joint. It is illegal. Hard drugs, heroin cocaine ect are illegal. Yes you may possibly see someone using soft or hard drugs in public, but it is still illegal. During a discussion with my cousin, he pointed out the fact that the Netherlands statistically had less people with addictions to hard drugs than other Western European countries. I think he said Germany was at the top of the list.

Prostitution is actually regulated by the government requiring those in that profession to follow safe practices and submit to routine medical exams. And it must be done in a legal establishment. Pick up a prostitute on the street corner and it is illegal.

How the answer to your question. The Dutch government does not tolerate child sex crimes. If it is occurring, it is ILLEGAL.

You can go to Amsterdam and enjoy the history, museums, ect. The only way you will be exposed to the drugs and prostitution is to actively seek it out. If you stay near Leidsplein, Jordaan and areas like that, you will have very limited exposure except for the junk they sell in the tourist trap shops.

And take the train out of the city and spend some time in the rest of the country. The Netherlands is one of the most beautiful countries you can visit if you get out of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. And you will find that the Dutch values and life styles are probably not as different from yours as you may think. Majority of them are not into the drugs and prostitution contrary to the stereotype. It is usually the foreigners that give this industry alot of its profits.

And, per above post, the rate of useage of cannabis in Holland amongst teens is way lower than in the US - France, with some of the most draconian pot laws in Europe also has a teen usage much higher than the Dutch - this is according to Eurostat statistics - about 50% of French high school kids have used cannabis - i think Holland is about 30%.
I ditto Travelbut's question - this have some hard facts that you frequent traveler based his assumption on - it sounds like he went to amsterdam and saw child porn available in shops - this just wouldn't happen. What does he base it on?

Frankly, I would say the "center for child pornography" has probably moved to the Internet.

I've seen a lot of things in A-Dam and in places which few, if any, people have ever seen, but in my own experiences child pronography is not any more rampant in Amsterdam than other cities.

Now, if we don't soon hear a response from the OP I, for one, will chalk this entire thread up to someone who is either a troll or simply trying to be controversial.